Chinese Medicine treatments for winter ailments.
Winter has well and truly descended on us here in Melbourne and some of you might have started feeling sniffly and run down. Now, more than ever, we have to pay particular attention to our health and it’s worth looking to Chinese medicine to provide support in preventing and treating colds and flu.
If you have seen these posters around town you will be aware of the campaign to stop the use of antibiotics for treatment of cold and flus.
The cold weather leaves our immune system vulnerable to viral infections and several Chinese herbs are renowned for their anti-viral properties.
Prevention being better than a cure supporting the immune system is always beneficial. Yu Ping Feng San is a classic defence formula comprised of Huang Qi (Astragalus), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes) and Fang Feng (Ledebouriella Root). Huang Qi can be tracked down at asian supermarkets and used in your cooking. Andre recommends adding it to a big pot of nourishing chicken soup – warming as well protective. Weekly acupuncture treatments also helps strengthen the body’s immune system.
Chinese herbal remedies can also help treat the common symptoms of colds and flu. Chinese medicine views colds and flu as an invasion of wind – wind-cold, wind-heat or wind-damp. The symptoms you exhibit will indicate the type of invasion of wind your body is experiencing and your practitioner will prescribe the necessary herbs.
If you’re experiencing just minor symptoms, you might recover very quickly with acupuncture alone. If you have more severe symptoms like swelling, sore throat, respiratory problems, headaches, chills, fatigue, a herbal remedy will give you relief within a couple of days.
Slow down and take extra good care of yourself this winter. Get plenty of rest, avoid stress, stay warm and eat plenty of nutritious seasonal vegetables and fruits.
